Confessions of a born again candidate Pat Bell HM Customs and Excise

Contents How I came to charter How I came to charter Doing it Doing it What I got out of it What I got out of it

Dos and Don’ts

How I came to charter

Context Qualified in 1994 Qualified in 1994 Continuous professional work at DTI, DoE (DETR, DTLR, ODPM), HMCE since 1995 Continuous professional work at DTI, DoE (DETR, DTLR, ODPM), HMCE since 1995 Registered (Route B) in 1997 Registered (Route B) in 1997 Did nothing else for six years Did nothing else for six years

Why? CDL initiative CDL initiative Head of profession was keen Head of profession was keen Bit of time Bit of time … … Look, can I get back to you on this? … Look, can I get back to you on this?

Chartering Getting down to it

Do … Get help Procedure Procedure Mentoring Mentoring Gathering material Gathering material Reviewing Reviewing Line manager Line manager Head of profession Head of profession Regional Liaison Officer Regional Liaison Officer Supervisor Supervisor Friends Friends Colleagues Colleagues Don’t expect them to do it for you

1.Check what is needed Administrative requirements Administrative requirements Documents you must include Documents you must include What you need to cover What you need to cover

Do... read the regulations Don’t… Forget to read the regulations (Sorry)

2.Gather material Organisation charts Organisation charts Departmental objectives Departmental objectives Service objectives Service objectives Job descriptions Job descriptions Work you’re proud of Work you’re proud of Annual appraisals Annual appraisals Training record Training record

3.Map your evidence Don’t get disheartened – get help

Do… the best you can Map the evidence you’ve got Map the evidence you’ve got Show awareness Show awareness Plan to fill the gaps Plan to fill the gaps Don’t … get paranoid about the odd gap

Do … look at other candidates’ submissions Required standard Required standard Ideas for structure Ideas for structure Don’t … use them as a substitute for thought

4.Get started… … but be prepared to make mistakes

Do … make the submission for yourself Analyse your development Analyse your development And your impact And your impact Don’t … be self indulgent Save it for your autobiography or State librarian

5.Get a reviewer Supervisor / mentor Supervisor / mentor Regional Liaison Officer Regional Liaison Officer Colleague Colleague Friend Friend Choose them for the expertise they can offer

6.Revise, print, bind, submit …. … and wait Let go

Why? Revisited

It’s the process, not the product Look back at what you’ve done Look back at what you’ve done Pat yourself on the back Pat yourself on the back Identify strengths and weaknesses Identify strengths and weaknesses … and interests … and interests Where you are, and where you want to be Where you are, and where you want to be

Do … Charter Don’t fixate on getting chartered